In 2023, Theo Chocolate, a chocolate maker that was a pioneer in its use of truthful commerce and natural substances, closed down its manufacturing facility following a merger with an organization referred to as American Licorice. The area within the previous brick constructing close to the Fremont Reduce remained in use because the model’s flagship retailer, however now Theo is curbing operations even additional and shutting on February 16, in line with a Theo’s Instagram publish.
Theo can be closing its retailer in Bellevue, that means that Theo will stay obtainable for buy on-line and in shops however its personal retail footprint within the Seattle metro space will disappear.
Theo was based in 2005 by natural chocolate maven Joe Whinney, Important Baking Firm founder Jeff Fairhall, and Debra Music. It has grown into a particularly recognizable native model notable for its typically odd taste combos, like cinnamon horchata and salted black licorice.
Eater Seattle reached out to Theo Chocolate to ask why the choice to shut was made and what number of jobs have been affected however didn’t hear again.
Regardless of the motive for this closure, the tip of the flagship retailer means the model is additional disconnected from the town that incubated it. There’s nonetheless a Theo staff within the Seattle space, led by CEO Etienne Patout — who took over the corporate in 2018 — however the chocolate is now not made right here and shortly there might be no customer-facing presence on the bottom.